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Camping Fun!
Part of the reason that Oxheys Trading came to life was because I was trying to source fun camping hoodies for my sons.
I found lots of great quotes that sum up what camping fun means to me, designed some hoodies and t-shirts and went from there!
When toasting marshmallows becomes an extreme sport!
https://www.oxheystrading.com/products/toasting-marshmallows-camping-tee
I have to say though, I never saw myself as a camper! When I first met my husband, he asked me if I had ever camped?
Well, I remember my parents telling friends that they had taken my brother and I camping twice as babies and both times one or the other of us screamed for the entire weekend, but I didn’t actually remember going camping.
Funny Camping Quotes
I did however, recall a big brown and orange tent being erected in the garden and playing in it with my brother and some friends! (Mum told me later, that was a few years after the fated camping trips and they had put it up to air it in preparation for selling it.)
I also recall Dad buying a second hand caravan, mum making new curtains, cushion covers and bed spreads, and us setting off on our first (and only) trip in the caravan. It rained the entire weekend, and after proclaiming it was like water torture and he wouldn’t be doing that again, Dad sold it the following week!
Adventure is out there!
So, in answer to my husband, no, I wasn’t what you would call a camper!
He asked if I would consider camping with him and I have to say I was more than a little reluctant!
To this day, I am still not sure how it happened, but, after announcing that I would not be camping in a tent that I had to shuffle myself into, he insisted we go to a big camping warehouse a few miles out of town to look at tents.
I was amazed! There were small tents, large tents, pup tents, family tents and all the accessories to go with them! Maybe I got carried away with it all in the shop or maybe my darling hubby just worked a long game, but we came out of the shop, there and then, with a huge Khyam Tent, sleeping bags, chairs, stove and other camping paraphernalia!
Camping Gifts
https://www.oxheystrading.com/products/camper-water-bottle
And so, that weekend, we planned our first camping trip! Just for the weekend, to see how I managed.
Hubby supplied the most important advice I have ever received camping, and that was to make sure I was wrapped up as it could get cold overnight.
Well, I wrapped our infant son and myself up in that many layers, (including a bobble hat), that we slept so well overnight we both woke up toasty and warm! My husband however, didn’t take his own advice and woke up freezing! And no wonder, because when I unzipped the tent to nip to the bathroom, there was actually a ground frost! Hubby was terrified that this would put me off camping, but I was happy to give it another go. (Did I actually find camping fun?!)
Rockin' the camping life!
Next up, we went to Derbyshire, and being newbie campers, didn’t think to refuse the pitch we were given (which I most certainly would not accept now!) It looked a bit muddy but it was raining when we arrived and we thought it would probably be ok when the rain stopped, so we pitched up where we were told.
The morning after, we realised our mistake, when we got out of bed and tried to walk across the tent. There was mud squishing up through the ground sheets (not sewn in ground sheets then!) and the entire floor started to look like we had pitched in a quagmire ☹
Happy Campers
We got through another day and packed up the morning after, but I am pleased to say that even that did not dull my new-found enthusiasm for camping! Twenty years, 3 children and 2 dogs later, and I still love to camp! My boys first question to any new girlfriend is always “Do you like camping?”!
Camping with friends
I believe that camping with groups of friends have given our children such amazing social skills that I don’t think they would have got with any other experiences. We have camped by rivers, on the beach, with electricity and without, and every trip has been truly magical in one way or another. Some of my favourite memories are camping with a group of 30+ people and having 12 kids (at least) all toasting marshmallows around the campfire!
Camping has brought us such wonderful memories and true friendships have been formed. I can honestly say, that all those years ago, when I was asked to try camping, I didn’t expect to love it so much that I was still camping 20+ years later 😊
So if you haven’t yet tried camping, then I hope this inspires you to give it a go! Have yourself some camping fun!
Donna x